The current NBA Finals format is following David Stern out of the league.

NBA owners voted unanimously yesterday to return from the 2-3-2 format to 2-2-1-1-1, thinking
the travel inconveniences that teams faced when Stern became commissioner nearly 30 years ago no
longer exist.

Beginning with the 2014 Finals, the higher-seeded team will play host to Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
The lower seed gets Games 3, 4 and 6, following the same format the NBA uses in all other
rounds.

The current format was instituted in 1985, Stern’s first full year in charge, in part to ease
the amount of cross-country travel, with the Celtics and Lakers frequently meeting for the
championship.

The vote came during Stern’s final preseason meeting with his board of governors. Owners also
voted to add an extra day between Games 6 and 7.

The change to the 2-3-2 format was one of the earliest made by Stern, who often has said he was
acting on advice about the travel from former Celtics boss Red Auerbach. But with commercial
flights long since replaced by charters, teams didn’t have the same difficulties.

LAST NIGHT’S HIGHLIGHTS

Wizards 101, Cavaliers 82: Jarrett Jack said the hardest part about coming back was having to
sit down after 10 minutes last night in an exhibition game in Cincinnati.

“It was tough,” he said after the Cavaliers lost at US Bank Arena. “I was just getting in the
groove.”

Jack, who signed a four-year free-agent deal with the Cavs over the summer, missed the first six
exhibition games because of a sore left knee. He started at point guard, while Kyrie Irving slid
over to shooting guard in place of Dion Waiters, who was out because of a sprained ankle.

Heat 108, Pelicans 95: Former Ohio State standout Greg Oden saw his first playing time of the
exhibition season for visiting Miami. Oden finished with two points and two rebounds in four
minutes, dunking on the first time he touched the ball. He is attempting to come back from knee
injuries that have hampered him since he was drafted first overall by Portland in 2007.

Notable

Sacramento Kings assistant coach Brendan Malone has resigned. The team did not disclose why he
resigned. Malone’s son, Michael, is the Kings’ new coach. Former Ohio State player and assistant
and Cavaliers assistant Chris Jent will assume Brendan Malone’s responsibilities as the lead
assistant.